Health
Eating oatmeal for two days has unexpected impact on heart health, study suggests
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Eating oats for just a short period of time could have a profound impact on cholesterol levels, according to a recent study.
Researchers from the University of Bonn in Germany conducted a trial in which adults consumed a calorie-reduced diet of almost exclusively oatmeal for two days.
All participants suffered from a metabolic syndrome associated with a risk of diabetes, including a combination of high body weight, high blood pressure, elevated blood glucose or elevated blood lipid levels, according to a university press release.
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The 32 participants ate oatmeal, previously boiled in water, three times a day, for a total of 300 grams. They were only permitted to add fruits or vegetables to their meals and consumed around half of their normal caloric intake.
A control group was put on a calorie-reduced diet that did not include oats. Although both groups benefited, the cholesterol levels of those on the oat diet “improved significantly.” After six weeks, this effect “remained stable.”
A new study found that eating oats for two days reduced bad cholesterol. (iStock)
Study author Marie-Christine Simon, junior professor at the Institute of Nutritional and Food Science at the University of Bonn, shared in a statement that the level of LDL, or “bad” cholesterol, among the oatmeal-eating group was reduced by 10%.
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“That is a substantial reduction, although not entirely comparable to the effect of modern medications,” Simon said. “They also lost two kilos in weight on average, and their blood pressure fell slightly.”
The authors concluded that the diet influenced microorganisms in the gut, leading to the positive reaction. The results were published in the journal Nature Communications.
Oats significantly reduced cholesterol levels, although not as much as modern medicine. (iStock)
Simon concluded that a short-term oat-based diet at regular intervals “could be a well-tolerated way to keep the cholesterol level within the normal range and prevent diabetes.”
“As a next step, it can now be clarified whether an intensive oat-based diet repeated every six weeks actually has a permanently preventative effect,” she said.
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Certified holistic nutritionist Robin DeCicco, who was not involved in the study, said the findings “make sense” because oats have been known to potentially lower LDL cholesterol.
Oats contain prebiotic fiber that feeds beneficial gut bacteria. When those bacteria ferment the fiber, they produce compounds that support digestive health, according to the expert.
“The more beneficial gut bacteria you have in your stomach, in your environment, the more that can reduce or inhibit the production of LDL bad cholesterol,” New York-based DeCicco told Fox News Digital.
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Oats are also a whole grain that is naturally low in saturated fat and rich in fiber and provides a good amount of plant-based protein.
“All those things are good for a heart-healthy, cholesterol-lowering diet,” DeCicco noted.
Oats are a whole grain that is naturally low in saturated fat and rich in fiber and provides a good amount of plant-based protein, all of which are good for heart health. (iStock)
DeCicco did warn that those who are diabetic or prediabetic should “be careful” when eating oats.
“While oats can lower cholesterol, they are an overly high-carbohydrate food,” she said. “A recommendation for anyone who’s watching their blood sugar, and especially who’s diabetic, is to eat foods that are lower in starch and higher in protein and fiber, [and to get] their carbohydrates more from vegetables and nuts.”
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Megan Wroe, registered dietitian at the Wellness Center at Providence St. Jude Medical Center in Orange County, California, agreed that oat consumption “does seem to lower cholesterol levels for all studied populations, with the greatest impact shown in those with elevated levels.”
“There are no significant risks, but some people may experience cramping or indigestion if they have not previously eaten much fiber and suddenly start eating oats every day,” Wroe, who also was not involved in the study, told Fox News Digital. “Also, those requiring a gluten-free diet will want to ensure that the oats they eat are certified gluten-free.”
The nutritionist also shared the concern that oatmeal is commonly made with water or milk and eaten with added sugar and fruit, which makes it a “potentially very high-glycemic meal.”
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“Knowing this, my recommendation is to eat oats as often as you like, choosing steel-cut or rolled oats, using fruit for sweetness or a low-glycemic sweetener if needed, such as monk fruit,” she advised.
Wroe also suggests finding a way to add protein to balance out the carbohydrates.
“This can be done by adding chia or flax seeds to the oats, mixing in protein powder or topping with Greek yogurt to serve,” she said.
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More than 59% of women may have high blood pressure by 2050, according to a new report from the American Heart Association.
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A new report by the American Heart Association (AHA) included some troubling predictions for the future of women’s health.
The forecast, published in the journal Circulation on Wednesday, projected increases in various comorbidities in American females by 2050.
More than 59% of women were predicted to have high blood pressure, up from less than 49% currently.
The review also projected that more than 25% of women will have diabetes, compared to about 15% today, and more than 61% will have obesity, compared to 44% currently.
As a result of these risk factors, the prevalence of cardiovascular disease and stroke is expected to rise to 14.4% from 10.7%.
The prevalence of cardiovascular disease and stroke in women is expected to rise to 14.4% from 10.7% by 2050. (iStock)
Not all trends were negative, as unhealthy cholesterol prevalence is expected to drop to about 22% from more than 42% today, the report stated.
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Dr. Elizabeth Klodas, a cardiologist and founder of Step One Foods in Minnesota, commented on these “jarring findings.”
“The fact that on our current trajectory, cardiometabolic disease is projected to explode in women within one generation should be a huge wake-up call,” she told Fox News Digital.
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“Hypertension, diabetes, obesity — these are all major risk factors for heart disease, and we are already seeing what those risks are driving. Heart disease is the No. 1 killer of women, eclipsing all other causes of death, including breast cancer.”
Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death for women in the U.S. and around the world. (iStock)
Klodas warned that heart disease starts early, progresses “stealthily,” and can present “out of the blue in devastating ways.”
The AHA published another study on Thursday revealing one million hospitalizations, showing that heart attack deaths are climbing among adults below the age of 55.
The more alarming finding, according to Klodas, is that young women were found more likely to die after their first heart attack than men of the same age.
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“This is all especially tragic since heart disease is almost entirely preventable,” she said. “The earlier you start, the better.”
Children can show early evidence of plaque deposition in their arteries, which can be reversed through lifestyle changes if “undertaken early enough and aggressively enough,” according to the expert.
Moving more is one part of protecting a healthy heart, according to experts. (iStock)
Klodas suggested that rising heart conditions are associated with traditional risk factors, like smoking, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, obesity and a sedentary lifestyle.
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Doctors are also seeing higher rates of preeclampsia, or high blood pressure during pregnancy, as well as gestational diabetes. Klodas noted that these are sex-specific risk factors that don’t typically contribute to complications until after menopause.
The best way to protect a healthy heart is to “do the basics,” Klodas recommended, including the following lifestyle habits.
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Klodas especially emphasized making improvements to diet, as the food people eat affects “every single risk factor that the AHA’s report highlights.”
“High blood pressure, high blood sugar, high cholesterol, excess weight – these are all conditions that are driven in part or in whole by food,” she said. “We eat multiple times every single day, which means what we eat has profound cumulative effects over time.”
“Even a small improvement in dietary intake, when maintained, can have a massive positive impact on health,” a doctor said. (iStock)
“Even a small improvement in dietary intake, when maintained, can have a massive positive impact on health.”
The doctor also recommends changing out a few snacks per day for healthier choices, which has been proven to “yield medication-level cholesterol reductions” in a month.
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“Keep up that small change and, over the course of a year, you could also lose 20 pounds and reduce your sodium intake enough to avoid blood pressure-lowering medications,” Klodas added.
“Women should not view the AHA report as inevitable. We have power over our health destinies. We just need to use it.”
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